National News Roundup

Colleges and universities should increase the number of athletic
scholarships they bestow on women, according to a preliminary report by
a task force of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

The recommendation was one of dozens released last week by the
N.C.A.A.'s gender-equity task force.

The task force also urged colleges and universities to foster such
emerging sports as crew and ice hockey as a means of increasing
opportunities for women.

The report, however, offers few details on how institutions could
implement the recommendations, many of which would be costly.

In addition, for the first time, a unit of the athletics-governing
body proposed a definition of gender equity for sports. The report
suggests that equity exists "when either the men's or women's sports
program would be pleased to accept as its own the overall program of
the other gender.''

Recognizing the need to promote sports for females at an early age,
the task force also suggested that the N.C.A.A. join with the National
Federation of State High School Associations to address gender-equity
issues.

In addition, it recommended that institutions or athletic
conferences conduct camps, clinics, and workshops for elementary and
middle school girls.

A series of public hearings on the report is scheduled to begin this
week, with consideration of proposals based on its recommendations
likely to follow at the association's annual meeting in
January.

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